Burkina Faso

The United Nations ranks Burkina Faso as the third poorest country in the world. Reoccurring droughts and desertification have severely affected the country’s agricultural sector and the 90% of its population who depend on subsistence farming to survive.

Border disputes and ethnic conflicts involving the country or its neighbors has placed further stress on the people of this landlocked West African country and affected their abilities to maintain stable livelihoods. Currently, the country has an unemployment rate of nearly 77%. While there are many local initiatives to combat poverty, the people of Burkina Faso are still in need of outside humanitarian assistance.